It is important that the speech language pathologist prepare
for the interviewing process. There are various types of interviews, including:
a telephone interview, lunch/dinner interview, and/ or in person. Depending
on the setting the interview may be conversational in nature or more direct
questioning. The applicant should prepare for the interview by thinking
of the questions they would like to ask the employer. Provided below are
questions that a speech language pathologist should consider asking the
employer.
Benefits
It is important for the speech language pathologist to
be aware of the benefits package they will receive upon accepting a job.
The benefits may include medical coverage, life and long-term disabilities
insurance, dental, and vision. If all of these are not included there
are often ways to add them to a policy. Remember benefits are part of
the total package so an employer may pay higher but offer benefits which
have less coverage, verses an employer who offers great benefits may pay
a smaller salary. Consider all aspects and look at a total package.
Salary
See Salary
Section
Hours
It is important to discuss the hours you will be working.
In some cases the employer may base your pay on billable hours. The employer
may have penalties for not achieving the specified hours.
ASHA Dues
The employee must maintain their ASHA dues yearly. The
employer may pay your ASHA dues as a part of your salary package.
Continuing Education Units
The speech-language pathologist has to stay abreast of
their CEU’s. The Continuing Education Units require the speech-language
pathologist to attend workshops, seminars, or even college classes. These
costs might be covered by the employer. To find out more about CEU's and
requirements click
here to go to ASHA's information page.
Travel time/Reimbursement
If the job requires the speech-language pathologist to
travel to various sites to provide therapy, they will need to discuss
reimbursement for mileage and travel time.
Caseload
The employer should discuss in depth the population (children,
adult, and range of impairments/disorders.) that the speech-language pathologist
will render services to.
Maternity Leave
The employer should inform the employee of length of maternity
leave and pay if applicable.
Vacation/Sick Leave
The employer establishes vacation and sick leave policies,
however as a potential employee you may wish to inquire on the subject.
Retirement Plans
The retirement/401k benefits are a critical issue. The
speech-language pathologist should prepare for the future.
Interviewing Tips:
* Be honest
* Plan Ahead (Be knowledgeable of company)
* Be on time
* Dress Appropriately
* Speak clearly and concisely
* Know your strengths and weaknesses
The ASHA Career Mover CD provides questions that the employer may ask
the speech language pathologist during the interview.
1. What do you consider your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
2. In what kind of setting would you feel most useful?
3. What could you contribute to this job?
4. Why are you seeking a job with us?
5. In what area(s) do you feel you need the most supervision?
6. What are your specific interests within the field(s) of audiology and
speech-language pathology?
7. Have you had any experience in dealing with personnel conflicts?
8. What are your future plans in the field?
9. How do you handle criticism?
10. How would you adapt your diagnostic/treatment style to our clinic?
Click here
to request Career Mover CD from ASHA. It contains more information
than we could present here.
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